Friday
Night Smackdown
April 4, 2008 – Recap by Sassy
Last week on Smackdown –
The World’ Strongest Man Mark Henry defeated The Big Red
Machine Kane, The Great Khali and Chuck Palumbo in a four way match.
CM Punk defeated John Morrison in a Money in the Bank
preview match.
Jesse, Festus and Kofi Kingston defeated Lance Cade,
Trevor Murdoch and The Miz in a six man tag team match.
The Animal Batista defeated Snitsky in a one on one match.
Y2J Chris Jericho defeated M.V.P. via disqualification in
a Money in the Bank preview match.
Friday
Night Smackdown is being broadcast from Miami, FL
On
the CW network.
Ringside announcers: Michael Cole & Jonathan Coachman
Ring announcer: Justin Roberts
The Rated R Superstar Edge, Chavo Guerrero, Curt Hawkins and
Zack Ryder, Assistant General Manger Theodore Long and General Manager Vickie
Guerrero enter the arena.
Edge lost his WWE World Heavyweight title to The Undertaker
at Wrestlemania XXIV. Chavo
Guerrero lost his WWE ECW Championship to The Big Red Machine Kane at
Wrestlemania XXIV. This Vickie in the wheelchair thing has gone beyond stupid.
Last week she not only stood up, she ran – in heels – up the entrance
ramp to get away from The Undertaker.
Edge has the mic and tells the audience that he is angry.
Edge says he feels like he let himself and everyone else down when he lost to
The Undertaker. Of course, most
importantly, and he looks at Vickie to the chant of “you suck” from the
audience, he feels like he let Vickie down. Edge tells her that very soon, once
again, he will be the World Heavyweight Champion.
Chavo takes the mic and he says he feels like the let the
familia down, like he let the entire Guerrero family. Chavo says that Kane
cheated and that Kane doesn’t have the guts to face him face to face. Chavo
promises everyone that he will once again become the WWE ECW Champion, to the
hisses and boos of the live audience.
Vickie takes the mic and says as General Manager of Smackdown,
to the even louder boos and hisses of the audience, it is her pleasure to
announce to Chavo and Edge that they will get their opportunity to get their
titles back at the next pay per view, Backlash. Kane and Undertaker will face
each other tonight on Smackdown, champion versus champion, brother versus
brother.
Commercial break.
The audience sees the return of Matt Hardy at Wrestlemania
when he entered the ring during the Money in thee Bank Ladder Match to ruin
M.V.P.’s chances of snagging the briefcase.
Matt delivered a twist of fate to M.V.P. off of the ladder.
M.V.P., weighing 248 lbs.
WWE United States Champion
Vs.
Matt Hardy, weighing 236 lbs.
I think the weight is correct. I couldn’t hear because the live audience was so loud when
Matt Hardy entered the arena. This feud has been going on since MVP and Matt
were partners and continued after Matt had his surgery. It will be interesting
to see them go one on one.
We aren’t exactly seeing the beginning of a wrestling match
since everyone has fists up and ready. Coach says that the referee is going to
be allowing a lot of latitude in this match and I think Coach may be correct.
They roll out onto the floor and ref starts the count out on the floor. The
audience is all pro Matt Hardy and they let him know it. MVP decides he needs a
break and rolls out onto the floor but Matt follows him out and brings him back
into the ring. That was a mistake as MVP catches Matt trying to get back into
the ring. MVP has Matt down and the ref gets down to count but he decides to
pound Matt’s head on the canvas instead. MVP takes the full count by the ref
when the ref tries to get him to break holds. MVP sends Matt through the ropes
and down to the floor and then goes out to slam Matt’s head into the
announcer’s table. The ref starts the count out on the floor as MVP stops to
yell at a few fans. MVP rolls Matt into the ring, delivers numerous elbow drops
and then applies a chin lock. Matt makes it back to his feet, picks up MVP and
slams him onto the mat. MVP delivers a big kick to the side of Matt’s head and
then adds a few fists before trying to go for a cover but Matt gets a shoulder
up before the ref can count to one. MVP continues to pummel Matt using fists and
boots. MVP goes up on the ropes to dive off, but Matt gets out of the way. Matt
comes up with a slam to the back of MVP’s knee and then goes to work on
MVP’s left knee. Cole reminds the audience that MVP did the same thing to Matt
before Matt was out of action for six months. Matt works MVP’s knee and uses
the corner post to inflict more damage. The ref convinces Matt to get back in
the ring. Matt delivers a bulldog and goes for the pin. Matt gets a two count
before MVP kicks out. Matt goes back to work on MVP’s knee. Matt hooks MVP’s
knee over the rope and then stands on MVP’s lower leg. They end up out on the
floor again and MVP sends Matt’s head into the guardrail before rolling him
back into the ring. MVP goes for the cover and gets a two count before Matt
powers out. Matt delivers the side effect and goes up on the second rope to
deliver a blow to the back of MVP’s head. MVP manages to deliver a short
clothesline and sends Matt down to the canvas. Matt again takes MVP down by
delivering a kick to the knee. Matt delivers the twist of fate, goes for the
cover and gets the three count.
Winner
Matt
Hardy
Matt doesn’t seem to have lost any of his momentum while he
was out of action. The audience
still loves him and he did a great job in this match. M.V.P. gets better every time I see him in the ring and this
match was no exception. The two men worked well against each other and there
were some good counters in this match.
Commercial break.
Zach Ryder from Long Island, NY, weighing 211 lbs.
Accompanied to the ring by Curt Hawkins
Vs.
Festus, weighing 291 lbs.
Accompanied to the ring by Jesse
There is more than a slight weight difference in this match.
The bell rings and Ryder gets out of the ring and out of the
way of the changed Festus. Hawkins tries to interfere and Festus slams him to
the floor before going after Ryder. Ryder comes off the ring apron and Festus
slams him down to the floor. Festus rolls Ryder back into the ring and
introduces Ryder’s face to the top turnbuckle. Ryder spends a few seconds
getting tossed across the ring before Festus sends him down to the canvas.
Festus sends Ryder across the ring and into the corner post, sending Ryder back
down to the mat. Festus goes for a cover but only gets a two count before Ryder
gets a shoulder off the mat. Ryder keeps getting up and Festus keeps dropping
him with big fists. Festus picks Ryder up and sends him up and over and down to
the mat. Festus comes off the ropes and lands on Ryder’s abdomen. Festus
delivers a splash to Ryder, Hawkins gets up on the ring apron and Festus uses a
boot to send Hawkins knock Hawkins off the ring apron. Festus sets Ryder up on
the top turnbuckle, delivers a fist, takes him up on his shoulder and slams him
face first into the mat. Festus goes for the cover and gets the win.
Winner
Festus
Ryder did try a few wrestling moves but against Festus who
really isn’t wrestling but power housing his way through the match, it
didn’t do any good. Festus is fun to watch although I’m not sure Zack Ryder
or Curt Hawkins would agree with me. Not a bad match although I would like to
see how Festus does in a wrestling match. Ryder and Hawkins worked well as a tag
team under the Major Brothers personalities.
They have not been as active in the ring since they became Edgeheads.
Commercial break.
Coach tells the audience he has gotten word that if The
Undertaker or The Big Red Machine Kane refuses to face each other in their match
tonight, they will be stripped of their championships.
The audience sees the Farewell Speech Ric Flair made on
Monday Night Raw. Nature Boy Ric Flair lost his Career Threatening Match to
Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania XXIV. Never fear, Flair fans, he is still working for WWE, just not
in the ring.
Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels is heading toward the arena to
address wrestling fans.
Commercial break.
HBK Shawn Michaels enters the ring, dressed in street
clothes. Michaels tells the audience that last Monday night, he addressed the
Raw audience and tried to put in words the emotions he has been feeling since
his match with Ric Flair at Wrestlemania. He says that during the Farewell
Address of Ric Flair when he went to the ring and stood face to face with his
boyhood idol, he got a hug from Flair and that gave him some closure. His speech
is cut short as Batista’s theme music begins.
Batista, also dressed in street clothes, enters the ring.
Batista looks a little angry. Batista tells Michaels that he is glad that he
found closure but he doesn’t think anyone else has. Batista said that
Wrestlemania was one of the toughest nights of his career because that was the
last time he was ever going to see Nature Boy Ric Flair compete in the ring
again and Batista says that he is taking it a little personal. Batista says that
Michaels took Flair’s career away. Batista says that Michaels had a decision
to make and that deep down Michaels knows he made the wrong decision. Michaels
says that he did not make the wrong decision; he gave Flair exactly what he
asked for. Michaels says that Batista would have done the same thing. Batista
says he would not have done the same thing; he wouldn’t have let his ego get
in the way of his friendship with Ric. Batista says that he had a job to do but
he didn’t do it. Then he said,
oh, that’s right, Shawn Michaels doesn’t do jobs. Batista said he thought
Michaels was a stand up guy but he was wrong. Batista said that Michaels is the
most selfish man he knows and he should have laid down for Flair. Michaels says
he is sorry that Batista feels that way but Batista says that it doesn’t
matter whether or not Michaels is sorry because Batista will never see Flair in
a match again. Batista reminds Michaels that he called Flair “Old Yeller”.
Batista accuses Michaels of treating Flair like a dog.
Hey! I resent that!
Obviously Batista has no canine companions.
Batista throws down the mic and leaves the ring.
The audience is booing but I don’t know if they are booing
at Batista or at Michaels. One loud guy in the audience is trying to get the
audience to do an HBK chant but it doesn’t seem to be working.
Commercial break.
Kane and Undertaker are backstage staring each other down.
Undertaker walks away. I’m not sure what that was all about.
Vladimir Kozlov from Russia, weighing 300 lbs.
Vs.
Matt Bentley from Miami, FL, weighing 215 lbs.
There is another significant weight difference in this match
and although I don’t have the stats in front of me, I’m certain there is a
significant height difference. I have seen Matt Bentley in action before.
He is related to HBK Shawn Michaels and was trained by him at his
wrestling school Bentley previously worked with Ring of Honor and Total Nonstop
Action wrestling.
Kozlov doesn’t appear to be doing much in the way of
wrestling. This is a guy that
should be up against Festus, or maybe Kane. Bentley isn’t doing anything but
getting beat up. Bentley does comes
back with a couple of fists and a boot but Kozlov delivers a slam and goes for
the cover, getting the win.
Winner
Vladimir
Kozlov
A total squash match, which may be vying for the shortest
match on record. Kozlov is a brute; I’ll give him that. The live audience
doesn’t seem to be fond of him and he seems to feel the same about the live
audience.
Commercial break.
Tag
Team Match
John Morrison from Los Angeles, CA, weighing 219 lbs.
&
The Miz from Cleveland, OH, weighing 231 lbs.
WWE Tag Team Champions
Vs.
Shannon Moore
&
Jimmy Wang Yang
At a combined weight of 410 lbs.
Shannon Moore and Jimmy Wang Yang need to be close to
grabbing those WWE tag team titles. They work so well together in the ring and
the audience likes their style. I feel that Morison has abilities but I have
never been impressed by Miz and was surprised that WWE put these two together as
a tag team.
Yang starts the match against Miz. Miz works for an audience
reaction and he gets one – but it’s negative. Yang speed wrestles his way
around Miz, tags in Moore and together they send Miz down to the canvas. Miz
tags in Morrison. Morrison delivers a slap to Yang on the ring apron. Yang grabs
Morrison by the hair and as the ref gets involved, Miz runs in and nails Moore.
Morrison turns around and delivers a swinging neck breaker, goes for the cover
and gets the three count.
Winners
John
Morrison
&
The
Miz
That was the worst match of the night, worse than the match
between Kozlov and Bentley. I won’t even comment on the abilities of any of
the wrestlers in the ring. They didn’t have enough time to do anything.
The theme music of The Great Khali begins and Morrison and
Miz look concerned, but they don’t bail out of the ring. Morrison gets a
little mouthy, charges at Khali and he grabs him by the throat, takes down Miz,
Morrison, Yang and finally Moore. I’m not sure what all that was about and
since Khali is minus his interpreter, we won’t know what it was about.
The Big Show comes out into the arena and heads to the ring.
The two men stand toe to toe and Khali starts to say something but Big Show
shoves the mic down. Big Show says that Monday night Khali got in his face and
tonight Big Show is getting in Khali’s face. Khali bails out of the ring and
heads up the entrance ramp and out of the arena. I guess that means Big Show
wins.
Commercial break.
Cole tells the audience that Finlay and Hornswoggle will
return to Smackdown next week.
Teddy Long is in the ring. Teddy tells the audience that
tonight the winning diva will win a special chopper and the owners of the
chopper dealership are in the ring.
The last two competing divas are Cherry and Michelle McCool.
The winner of the diva contest is Michelle McCool.
Victoria appears and tells the audience that the contest was
a complete joke and she can tell that by the fans that voted. Victoria says that
she is the number one diva on Smackdown. We have a fight on the floor with
Victoria getting the worst of the action. Michelle is attacked by a blonde who
tries to pull Michelle in the ring. Cherry comes in for the save but the blonde
takes out Cherry. I believe the blonde is Nattie Neidhart, daughter of Jim
“The Anvil” Neidhart, who is making her Smackdown debut. I am not certain
how she will be billed on the show.
Commercial break.
Main
Event
The Big Red Machine Kane, weighing 323 lbs.
WWE ECW Champion
Vs.
The Undertaker from Death Valley, weighing 299 lbs.
WWE World Heavyweight Champion
Cole said earlier it had been four years since Undertaker and
Kane had faced each other in the ring. This should be interesting.
Kane does have a slight weight advantage.
This may be a wrestling match but it could be more of a show
of power between these two wrestlers. We do have a wrestling match and Kane goes
for a pin but Undertaker kicks out. Kane puts the brakes on when Undertaker
tries to go old school. Kane decides to get a little rough and Undertaker comes
back with a fist to the jaw. Kane slaps Undertaker and Undertaker responds with
a fist. Now we have an exchange of fists in the ring. Kane sends Undertaker into
the ropes and then delivers a boot to the face as Undertaker comes off the
ropes. Undertaker sends Kane over the top rope and out to the floor then goes
out after him. Undertaker introduces Kane’s head to the guardrail twice before
Kane returns the favor. Kane sends Undertaker back into the ring and the two men
battle it out on their knees. Undertaker hits the mat first. Undertaker sets
Kane up for the choke slam but Kane applies a choke slam to the Undertaker. The
deliver double boots and both men hit the canvas. The ref starts the count out
and gets to seven and two brothers sit up together.
No one wins.
They
didn’t’ get to finish the match.
Edge, Chavo, Hawkins and Ryder hit the ring and start a beat
down on Undertaker and Kane. The four men are standing around in the ring as
again the two brothers sit up and get up to clear the ring of their attackers.
Hawkins and Ryder are sent over the top rope and down to the floor as Undertaker
choke slams Edge and Kane choke slams Chavo.
They then deliver simultaneous pile drivers and Undertaker and Kane are
the only men standing in – or out of – the ring.
WWE ECW LIVE !! / APRIL 1
Wrestling Bodyslam . Com